FIG. 6 shows a votive candle 1, or simply a "votive." A votive generally has a basically cylindrical shape, with a flat base 1b and a wick 1w extending from its top. Typically, a votive is displayed and burned in a decorative glass holder or jar 10, illustrated in schematic elevation, which diffuses the light from the flame and collects the wax that melts off the candle. Votives and holders are often displayed together at the point of sale, but have generally been packaged separately for shipping and storage. Manufacturers and suppliers, especially those that produce and/or sell both candles and glassware, would prefer to be able to prepackage votives and holders as displayable units.
Often, a votive is not meant to fit snugly within its holder, but instead rests loosely in the holder. In order to prepackage a votive and holder, an initial challenge is to properly orient the votive in the holder. This is especially true if the bottom of the holder is significantly larger or shaped differently than the votive. Even if the votive is initially placed correctly, it can be difficult to maintain the proper positioning. One logical approach would be to glue the base of the votive to the bottom of the holder. Even so, the votive would need to be kept in place at least until the glue dries. Thus, there is a need in the art for a simple mechanism to properly orient a votive in a holder during production.
Once a votive is glued in place in a holder, the votive/holder unit will invariably be jostled (e.g., bumped or moved) during shipping and storage. As a result, either the glue or the wax to which the glue is adhered can break, or the attachment between them severed, dislodging the votive so that it is free to tumble around within or out of the holder. If it ends up displaced, the votive cannot easily be righted, especially if the votive and holder are packaged in an outer container, which must be opened to access the candle and then resealed if the container is intended for display. A dislodged votive can also lead to unsightly wax scuff marks on the inner wall of the holder, chips in the votive itself, or loose wax or glue fragments. Therefore, there is also a need in the art for a simple mechanism to prevent the votive from becoming dislodged from the bottom of the holder. There is a further need for a mechanism that, should the votive become dislodged, prevents the votive from becoming displaced or contacting the inner wall of the holder.
Further, when a glued votive breaks loose from the bottom of the holder, wax or glue fragments can stick to the bottom of the holder or the base of the votive, making it difficult to properly reposition the dislodged votive. Therefore, there is an additional need for a mechanism which can maintain the position of the votive without using glue or other adhesives.
Finally, votives are often decoratively dyed or fragranced, features which should be apparent when the votive is displayed in a store. Therefore, it would be preferable that the above mechanism or mechanisms not obscure or detract from the appearance or aroma of the displayed votive.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,967,703; 3,561,668; 2,102,886; and 2,009,874 discuss various containers for articles other than candles, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,351 discusses a candle holder. None of these patents, however, addresses the particular problems discussed above.